Ancient vicuna wool-shearing tradition lives on in Peruvian Andes


By AGENCY
Vicunas live at least 3,500m above sea level. Photos: Carlos Mamani/AFP

At daybreak on a freezing cold day high in the Andes, dozens of Peruvian peasants clamber up a mountainside to carry out a centuries-old tradition of shearing the highly-prized wool off vicunas, which are relatives of the llama.

One week each year, the peasants of Totoroma, a village 50km to the southwest of Lake Titicaca, join forces for a process of herding and shearing known locally as the chaccu.

The Star 6.6 DEAL: 35% OFF Digital Access

Monthly Plan

RM 13.90/month

RM 9.04/month

Billed as RM 9.04 for the 1st month, RM 13.90 thereafter.

Best Value

Annual Plan

RM 12.33/month

RM 8.02/month

Billed as RM 96.20 for the 1st year, RM 148 thereafter.

Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel for breaking news alerts and key updates!

Next In Living

Heart and Soul: My mother, my role model
Vegan meat patties often better than meat ones, German testers find
Robot birds are being used to revive the population of the sage grouse in the US
Parking lots get hot and are bad for storm runoff. Are there other options?
Heart And Soul: The king of cats, and my other childhood pets
Good dog! Children’s hospitals in US turn to furry caregivers to help kids heal
6 tips on how to start your own garden at home
4 Malaysians share their experience in building thriving home gardens
The optimum duration of sleep is between 6.4 and 7.8 hours, study says
Humans had dogs before they had farming, ancient DNA confirms

Others Also Read